Chapter 186: Against a Ghost

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, RenKuonKyo would have watched a sunrise together by now.

"Angel," Damian said while gnawing on the end of the pen as he struggled to fill out the hospital forms. He was glad he had the hindsight of grabbing her purse before leaving the hotel. He prided himself on knowing her birthdate and address without consulting her identification, but it turned out there were other important details he didn't know. Now, he needed her to help answer the medical history portion and get her insurance card from her purse if she had one.

Have you ever been hospitalized before? If so, what for? He knew the answer was yes, but the reason was iffy. Would it insult her if he wrote drug overdose? Did he even need to include that information? Was it any of their business? Was it any of his? They barely started dating for him to be invading her privacy like this. Would she think this was too much too fast to be sharing with him? God, I hope not. I want to know everything about this incredible woman. The good, the bad, and the ugly. He couldn't skip this section. They needed this information so they could err on the side of caution and ensure she doesn't have a relapse.

"Tina," he tried again, glancing up from the form to get her attention when she still didn't answer him. Following Tina's trance-like stare, his eyes landed on the television mounted to the wall in front of them playing some news report. His gaze flicked from her to the screen one more time before he settled in to watch what had captured her attention. He was familiar enough with Cedric Bennett and had even seen a couple of his movies since his ex-wife was a fan.

It was crazy what they said happened to him. The police claimed to have no motive yet for the crime and the dangerous suspects were still roaming the streets. He thought Tina might have been a fan of the guy until the footage switched to the actor talking on a stage at a charity gala held at the Wilshire hotel. That's where she was last night. Watching his confession, Damian recognized a train wreck when he saw one, but for the life of him, he couldn't look away. The man was self-destructing in front of the country, maybe even the world. Things began to fall into place for Damian toward the end of the actor's speech. Holy fuck, he's gotta be talking about... He glanced at Tina hoping he was mistaken. Fuck! The pained expression on her face proved that he was 99.9 percent confident that his assumption was correct.

"Hey," he whispered, gathering her in his arms to comfort her for a few moments. When her body relaxed against him, he pulled back and placed his hands on each side of her face. She averted her eyes, glossy with tears. As he cupped her face gently, Damian used his thumbs to swipe away at the stray droplets rolling down her cheeks. He leaned in and kissed her forehead, relieved to find that it was now cool to his lips.

He freaked out earlier when he was shaken awake, feeling like he was hugging a rattling furnace. As he came to from his sleepy haze, the Californian in him thought the San Andreas Fault was at it again. It took him a moment to realize that it wasn't an earthquake that woke him up, but Tina. She was still snuggled into his side with her head on his chest, trembling and drenched in sweat. He didn't need to touch her forehead to know that she was running a fever and guessed that it was a high one. Peeling himself away from her, he got out of bed to get some medicine. He stubbed his toe on the bed while fumbling in the darkness toward the bathroom. The pain in his foot had sent him reeling and hissing obscenities while trying to stay quiet. Thank fuck Tina was still asleep; otherwise, he would have been so embarrassed if she saw him gimping around. He made it to the bathroom and noticed his shirt drenched in a mixture of their sweat. Damian peeled the dirty garment from his body and tossed it to the floor, knowing he had a couple of spares in his bag, including the one Cody gave him as a souvenir for last night.

"This is all my fault," Tina's trembling voice brought him back to the present, making him frown.

"I was so angry, I punched him."

She lifted her battered hand for emphasis. It looked so much worse under the fluorescent light of the waiting room and would explain why she was running a fever now. He was no doctor, but she probably fractured her hand causing her body to run hot as infection set in. He Googled.

"I wished him dead and look at him now. It's all my fault," she buried her face in her hands, flinching as she forgot that one was injured.

Damian was at a loss on how to ease her pain. It broke his heart to see her like this. If he could bring Rick back he would just as long as it made her happy. It was hard to compete against a ghost, but he knew in his heart that she was worth it. As he continued to rub tiny soothing circles on her back Damian thought of something. Tina wasn't upset about Rick right now. She blamed herself for Cedric's condition and was feeling guilty. A very annoying Damian-esque idea began brewing in his head. It was a bonehead one, as they sometimes were, with a high probability of ending their relationship before it even had a chance to grow into so much more. He was willing to take the chance as long as it would help her move past these unnecessary feelings of responsibility.

"Did you say it to his face?" Damian asked with an insensitive tone and gauged her reaction.

"What do you mean?" Tina removed her hands to look at him with a confused frown.

"When you punched him? Did you say 'I wish you were dead!' or 'I'm going to kill you!' It would help if you could remember the exact words you used on him." Damian inwardly sighed as her eyes hardened with anger. Damn, she's gorgeous when she's pissed. It was a total dick move on his part, but she seemed to be moving past the devastation she felt from the news. He was happy to see that she chose to be angered by his words instead of shamed.

"I never said anything of the sort!" Tina snapped, then sheepishly glanced around the waiting room, hoping no one heard her. The people in the room had dwindled significantly since their arrival and it helped that they chose seats in a secluded corner. Those left in the large room were too tired and wrapped up in their problems to pay any attention to them.

"So you didn't wish him dead?" He questioned, seeking clarity for her sake.

"Not out loud," she replied without hesitation.

"You're saying, in your head, you wished him a thousand deaths?"

Damian braced himself for her wrath, but several seconds ticked by and it never came. Tina huffed and folded her arms over her chest this time careful of her hand. "I would be lying if I said I didn't."

He nodded, satisfied with her answer. No one could blame her for that.

Dropping his voice to a whisper, Damian leaned in and asked, "Did you hire these goons to take him out?"

"What?" Tina gasped, pulling away from him in disbelief.

"Did you hire them to... you know...off him?" He knew her what was a rhetorical question, but he elaborated anyway for good measure.

"I heard you the first time," she hissed, leaning closer to him so no one could hear. "And to answer your question. No, I did not. I would never!" She stood abruptly. Her gaze fixated on the automatic doors of the exit, ready to bolt.

He quickly grabbed the wrist of her uninjured hand and grinned when she glared at him.

"Let me go," she twisted her wrist to get out of his grip. He loosened his hold on her afraid he would hurt her if she carried on, but he held on.

"Please let me ask one last thing and then I'll let you go,"

"Fine," she grumbled and waited for him to speak.

"If you didn't hire those goons then how is any of this your fault?"

She furrowed her brow cutely as she mulled over the question. He waited patiently for her to work it all out in her mind as her expressions flickered through every negative human emotion until stopping at resignation.

"You're so infuriating," she huffed. Damian flashed her a lopsided grin, knowing she wouldn't be able to resist him for much longer.

"Come here," he tugged on her gently. "We still need to get your hand checked out and I don't even know if high blood pressure runs in your family."

Tina opened her mouth to argue but stopped herself. She sighed and returned to her seat, resting her head on his shoulder. "Do you think he's going to be okay?"

"Do you want him to be?" He countered, gauging her reaction.

"Yes," she replied firmly. Damian grinned and knew his dopey expression probably reflected all the love he felt for her.

Damn, how did I get so lucky? She has been through hell and back and still, her heart remains untainted, kind, and beautiful. I'll take care of her in your place, Rick.

His chest clenched. The need to cherish and protect her rose to the fore. He vowed that he would do everything in his power to never let her hurt again.

"Damian?" She cocked her head when he didn't respond.

He blinked and cleared his throat, trying to remember what they were talking about before his thoughts went all Lancelot on her.

"You heard the lady," he nodded toward the anchorwoman on the TV. "They had one of the best trauma surgeons working on him, and not to diss our beloved city, but gunshot wounds are pretty common around here. They know what they're doing."

Tina nodded, accepting his words.

For the next several minutes, they knocked out the forms. She seemed comfortable sharing her medical history with him. He had some questions, but they could wait until they were alone and she was comfortable sharing. Damian moved to turn them in. He wasn't giving up on the older woman manning the main desk. With a friendly smile plastered on his face, he swaggered to Annie's domain where she was surprisingly free.

"Here you go, ma'am," he greeted pleasantly as he handed over the clipboard with Tina's forms on it. She didn't return his smile but at least she was no longer scowling. That was progress. He waited while she flipped through the pages with precision, checking for any errors.

The news anchor caught his attention as they continued to report on Cedric's case and his illustrious attackers. It would only be a matter of time before they caught them especially with a hefty reward on their heads. Loyalty only went so far with criminals like them.

"It's unfortunate what happened to that poor child," Annie commented, pausing to watch the news. Well isn't she just a chatty Kathy now.

Damian held himself back from snorting. The poor child my ass! He knew he had no right to be pissed at the man, but his actions had hurt the woman he loved and for that Damian disliked him. He didn't want to wish bad juju on anyone so he kept his opinions to himself. Tina needed positivity right now.

Trying his luck at Annie's willingness to share, Damian asked, hoping to get an insider's opinion. "Do you know if he's going to be okay?"

"Dr. Owens was his surgeon. He'll be good as new once he's out," Annie assured him with confidence. At least that was something he could take back to Tina.

"That's good to hear. I'm sure his fans would be relieved by the news."

Annie scoffed and the scowl she sported earlier made its presence once again.

Shit! Did I say something wrong?

Before he could apologize for whatever he said, a nurse came through the double doors shaking her head in annoyance as she held the door open. A police officer, escorting two young pissed-off women, walked through and headed straight for the exit. What the heck was that about?

"More?" Annie asked as the nurse stepped into the office. "I thought we caught them all."

"Welcome to Hollywood. Everyone's an actress," the nurse announced, shredding some documents. "One girl faked appendicitis while her friend went looking for a restroom as soon as they got back there." The nurse and Annie shared an inside laugh.

Annie sobered up when the nurse left and realized Damian watched her with raised brows.

Acting like the interruption never happened, the corners of Annie's lips slightly curved. Guess she's not mad anymore.

"Anyway, I hope his fans will be relieved," she said, picking up from where they left off. "I'm always on edge when a crowd gathers outside of here. Intentions are always good, but when emotions start running high things become unpredictable."

Damian shook his head grimly understanding her meaning. "At least they're guaranteed great healthcare here. Thank you for all that you and the other healthcare professionals here do daily. We appreciate it."

"Thank you. That's very sweet of you to say. Anyway, if you could take a seat a nurse will be with you shortly." For the first time since they arrived, Annie cracked a genuine smile.

"Would it be possible to get a small ice pack? I think my girlfriend's hand is broken and it's not looking pretty. I should have brought her one, but I panicked."

"Sure, let me get you one." Annie went through the doors and returned with a cold compress."

"Thank you, Annie. I appreciate it." Damian winked and knew that they wouldn't have to wait long for someone to see Tina as Annie shooed him away.

"What took so long? Were there any errors on the forms? Tell her I was under duress when we filled them out and what happened to those girls."

"Relax, Angel, my boyish good looks worked like a charm this go around," he assured and picked up her broken hand to hold the compress against it. She tried to jerk away but he held firmly.

No sooner than he said the words, a nurse was ushering them to the back. While she chatted away with Tina, Damian walked behind them scoping the place out and straining his ears to listen for any hints. They walked through the open area that held several curtained beds with a few nurses and doctors working on patients. Because of the early hour, it wasn't quite as busy as TV made it appear. The smell of antiseptic tickled his nose and behind a curtained area someone was dry heaving.

The nurse led them to an open bed and closed the curtain around them for more privacy. Just before she pulled the drapes closed, Damian caught sight of a heavily armed policeman standing at the edge of a corridor. If his hunch was correct, his presence was a big cliche sign that none other than Cedric Bennett was down there.

A memory of the past when he was young and dumb came to mind of him and a few of his buddies back in middle school tried sneaking into a titty bar. He smiled to himself and shook his head at the images of getting caught and the five minutes of heaven those cops allowed occupied his thoughts. Kids these days couldn't understand the struggle of trying to get into a mature establishment without a decent fake ID. As a bar owner, he saw his fair share of legit-looking driver's licenses on kids wanting to check out their favorite band and party it up. He tucked the memory in the back of his head and eyed the cop for a few more seconds. A stupid idea began brewing in his mind while the nurse took Tina's vitals.

"Excuse me, where is the nearest bathroom?" He smiled innocently, addressing the nurse.

"Okay, love birds, five minutes until showtime. Just like we rehearsed," Debbie shouted. "I know we're all hungry and tired, but I promise a hot Breakfast for everyone once this is over. We only get one shot at this so let's get it right."

"No, pressure," Kyoko whispered, conspiratorially into his ear sending a wave of lust to his groin. He needed this job to end so he could have his delectable little girlfriend without any more interruptions.

"You'll do great, baby," he smiled reassuringly, the professional in him pushing forth to keep things down.

"Easy for you to say," she grumbled while perched on his lap. "You're not the one pretending to be asleep."

Ren chuckled and pecked her temple. He was going to miss this level of intimacy they had developed on the set and the public displays of affection seemed to offend no one. It was nice that the team supported and encouraged their relationship. They figured it would only make filming go smoothly. By now, many people working with them knew how smitten he was with Kyoko since he never missed an opportunity to brag about her beauty and talent when not in her presence.

"I'm afraid I might ruin the whole thing and laugh as I did during rehearsal."

"You only did that once. Besides, Debbie-san said a little laughter was okay," he replied, tuning back into the conversation.

"Don't worry, Kyoko-chan, you're in luck. Ren has had a lot of experience with these kinds of scenes," Yashiro nudged Ren in the ribs with his elbow.

"What do you mean?" She turned to Ren. "What work have you done, previously? I'd like to watch how your co-stars reacted," she said curiously as Yashiro's comment went right over her head.

"Yes, Ren, if there is a recording, you should share it with her." Yashiro wiggled his eyebrows, ribbing his friend again.

"There is no such recording!" Ren snapped, annoyed that his friend could always read him like a book while fighting the blush that threatened to burn his cheeks. He regretted not having enough sense to record her those few times he had the pleasure of waking up before her. The peaceful feeling she imbued while sleeping always put him at ease. If he had footage, his sleeping angel would be right at his fingertips anytime.

Yes, Kuon, and that would make you a high-level creeper.

"I think I liked you better when you were sulking." Ren dished right back to his friend, hoping to switch the topic before Kyoko could catch on that she was the main subject.

"Ooh, did you hear from Moko again?" Kyoko spazzed and hopped off Ren's lap eager to hear the news. He was a little disappointed that she got off him and already missed her closeness. Having her using him as chair had become a quick favorite of his and he didn't hesitate pulling her on to his lap every chance he got.

"No," Yashiro replied solemnly. "She sent me that one message, but when I finally had a chance to call her back, it went unanswered. Did you hear from her yet?" Yashiro asked, hopeful that Kyoko faired better.

Kyoko shook her head dejectedly, visibly upset that she didn't hear from her friend. Whatever Kanae had going on was affecting both of them. Since he stupidly changed the subject to teasing Yashiro, it was up to him to improve their mood.

"I'm sure Kotonami-san has a good explanation for her lack of response. You both know her the best. Is she the type to flake out for no good reason?"

Kyoko and Yashiro both shook their heads. As he thought, Kanae didn't strike him as the kind of woman to leave them hanging.

"She could very well be sleeping since it's late over there. You've both mentioned, on separate occasions, that she prioritizes her beauty rest. Let's give it until the morning in Japan. If she doesn't respond by then you can start siccing people on her to confirm she's alright." He had no idea what he was thinking of offering such advice. If it was him, and Kyoko wasn't responding to his calls, he would have called security within the hour to check on her.

"Okay, " Kyoko began, but her loud gurgling stomach cut off her response as she flushed with embarrassment.

The sound broke the tension in the room as the men chuckled.

"Come on," He smiled and took her by the hand, guiding her out of the room. "Let's finish this part so we can get you fed."

As they headed out to the main living space, the place was buzzing with catering staff as they prepared to set up for the promised hot breakfast. Kyoko groaned as she cutely sniffed the aromatic smells of the food already wafting through the house.

With Yashiro in tow, the couple crossed over to the master bedroom where the next scene would resume. After a few more directions from Debbie, they took their marks on the bed and waited for their cue. As soon as the director yelled "action," he watched with amazement as Kyoko's eyes fluttered closed, her body relaxed, and her breathing slowed. If he didn't know better, he would have thought she seriously fell asleep on the job.

It felt so right, the way her soft curves molded to the side of his hard body as if God created her just for him. He didn't know it at the time nor was he looking for it, but she was exactly what he needed. In only a few short hours, she had turned his world upside down. Now, the clenching of his heart was a warning sign letting him know that he couldn't let her go. He lost all concept of time as he laid there with her securely in his arms and watched over her while she slept. The natural light casting upon her angelic face through the sliding glass doors began to change. A glance outside at the graying sky told him that sunrise was upon them. Even though he never cared before, the sudden urge to watch the sun as its first rays peeked over the horizon with her overwhelmed him. The night had been filled with romantic gestures so he didn't see why they couldn't start a new day with one.

He brushed a few strands of loose hair away from her delicate profile and placed a soft kiss upon her cheek. His lips strayed and brushed over the opening of her ear and murmured a gentle 'good morning' to not startle her with his movements. A serene smile played upon her pouty lips as she turned in his direction, refusing to open her eyes. He chuckled and pecked a sweet kiss on her lips before bundling her up in his arms, blanket and all. Her excited shriek and the way she threw her arms around his neck were perfect as he carried her out of the room. Wearing only his slacks from the night before, he traversed the deck and climbed down the steps until his bare feet hit the sand. He didn't stop until they were close to the shoreline. Luckily, it just so happened that this portion of the beach faced East, making it the ideal spot to watch the sunrise.

He plopped down in the cold sand with ease and held her in place on his lap with her back resting against his chest. Despite the cool breeze, he felt warm with her snuggled in his embrace. They sat in contentment, watching the sun lift above the horizon with the sound of breaking waves acting as their soundtrack. Her beauty enraptured him as the first rays of light caressed her face tenderly, giving her an ethereal glow. The vision had him praying to God that she was real. Wanting confirmation, he slipped a hand under her chin and angled her face toward him, sealing her mouth with his in a passionate embrace. He poured all the passion and love he felt for her into that one kiss. By the time they pulled away to catch their breaths, the sun had risen, clearing the water. His arms tightened around her slender frame not wanting this dream to end.

"CUT!" The director shouted through her megaphone ending the scene.

No one disturbed them while they continued to snuggle as Kuon and Kyoko on the sandy shores of Southern California. A few minutes later, Kyoko stood first, readjusting the blanket over her shoulders and holding it open to share with him. He wasted no time pulling her by the waist against his side, relishing in the warmth she provided. They made their way toward the house where everyone was already inside digging into the food. As if on cue, Kyoko's loud stomach rumbled from hunger.

AN: I'm here! I apologize for the delay. The long holiday weekend and a busy vacation to the Southwest of the USA left me too exhausted to write. Thanks for sticking with me and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Slowly but surely we're going to make our way back to Cedric. Anyone tired of this MV yet? I still have the beginning and the end to cover unless you're bored of this fluffy drama. My inner fangirl has been screaming for SMUT...I'm way overdue...XD. I have it all played out in my head, but when!

Thanks for always reading and I appreciate all your reviews. I HEART you guys.!

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^